Returning Home
by kdr2730
Summary: For Jason returning home means more than returning to Rosewood it means returning to Aria.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Little Liars or these characters. Not written for money, only enjoyment.**

Here is another Jaria story. I'm not sure I'll be adding to this one, but we will see. Hope you enjoy.

_Don't be afraid to review. I appreciate them all._

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At the age of 22 Jason DiLaurentis had dealt with a lot in his life. He had been addicted to drugs and alcohol for most of his youth. He had lost his younger sister mysteriously. Now he was dealing with the feelings he was having towards one Aria Montgomery. She had been one of Alison's best friends. Actually she was the only one that Jason had been able to stand because she didn't put with Ali's crap. Returning to his hometown had caused a lot of unnerving glances from everyone in town who knew about his past and wouldn't soon let him forget it, questions about why he was back but mostly it had Jason questioning if Rosewood would ever be his home again.

After rehab and graduating college Jason had made a life for himself and he was determined to show Rosewood that he was a different guy and that was what had brought him to Rosewood High School that day. Getting out his Volvo he could tell which students were using drugs to escape from life which made him almost perfect for what he was going to suggest to the guidance counselor, a program for at risk students and meetings with him one on one. Starting to walk inside he stopped when he caught a flash of brunette hair and tiny frame, there she was talking to the other powder puff girls.

Aria could feel someone's eyes on her, but she didn't know from which direction they were coming, "Aria, Jason DiLaurentis is staring at you." Spencer said in a stage whisper.

"Wow. He looks good." Hanna said reapplying her lip gloss.

"Hanna. He could have killed Ali. Don't even go there." Emily said looking at the ground.

Aria just turned and met her admirer's eyes. She hadn't seen him in almost four years and she had to agree with Hanna, he did indeed look good actually better than good.

The bell rang and the girls headed inside, but Aria stood behind for a second as her friends rushed to get to their lockers. Walking over, "Jason DiLaurentis, you came home." She said with a smile.

"I did. How are you Aria?" He asked returning a more than charming smile.

"I'm good. How are you?" She said heading towards the door and holding it open for him.

"I've been better. Rosewood never does change does it?" Jason said passing her.

"No it doesn't. People giving you a hard time already?"

Laughing, "A hard time would involve people talking to me. Most people just avoid, stare and whisper." Jason said as he noticed Aria's three friends with their mouths wide open. "Maybe you should go to your friends. They look they want to have you committed for talking to me."

"I can talk to whoever I want." Aria said looking towards her friends, "So what brings you back to high school?"

"I'm here to talk to the guidance counselor about a program for at risk students."

"Jason that's great. If anyone can show them what life after high school looks like it would be you." Aria said in a complementing tone.

Looking down with his old signature smirk, "Aria Montgomery, did you just tell me I look good?" Jason said surprised.

"Yes I did." Aria responded quickly looking him straight in the eye. "I mean it Jason. You look like a completely different person. I hope the guidance counselor fits your program in." She said heading towards her locker.

Jason was left standing in the hallway replaying his conversation with Aria when the bell rang and she had headed to class. His head was spinning, he couldn't tell if she had been flirting or not but the butterflies in Jason's stomach were telling him that he was happy to be home. Making his way to the guidance office Jason was ready for this meeting more than ever. After sitting and discussing it over with the principal and guidance counselor the three men agreed that Jason could try out his program on a probationary trial starting the next month. Walking out the school and heading back to his house Jason couldn't have been more proud until he noticed Aria staring out a window. He caught her gaze and she waved to him with a smile on her face.

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Aria Montgomery may seem like your normal 17 year old girl and in many ways she is but she has also dealt with a lot. Three years ago she lost one of her best friends. She had and lost her first boyfriend Noel Kahn although they could still be civil towards each other. Her dad had cheated on her Mom and then moved them to Iceland for a year to cover it up all while asking her keep it a secret. The thing that made her seem like a normal teenage girl were her feelings toward Jason DiLaurentis.

It was the beginning of her junior year of high school and she was walking towards school when she saw the silver Volvo drive up and park. At first she didn't recognize the guy that got out but her heart did flutter at his honey blonde hair and scarred green eyes. He was just her type, the bad boy, even though he looked perfectly put together.

Spencer had told her that someone was staring at her and when she met his eyes she recognized him, Jason DiLaurentis, the guy she had had a crush on at 13. Hanna said something about him looking good. Aria couldn't help but agree, he certainly did look good. She wondered just how much he had changed. Emily like Spencer was apprehensive about him but she wouldn't let that stop her, she had always been the out spoken one of her friends.

Just like always when the bell rang the girls all rushed towards their lockers, but today Aria did something different, she went and talked to Jason. Their talk took her all the way to her locker and surprised friends. Well Spencer and Emily were surprised, Hanna was slightly jealous.

"He did always have eyes only for you." Hanna said grabbing Aria's English book out of her locker when she opened it.

"That's not true Hanna. He couldn't stand any of us when we hung out at their house." Aria said taking her book back.

"No Aria, Hanna's right. Even back then Jason was always watching you. But it was kind of I don't sweet." Emily said closing her locker.

"Sweet? More like creepy. Ali always use to yell at him for it." Spencer said glaring at Aria, "You need to stay away from him."

Going toe to toe with her friend, "If I have to stay away from Jason then you have to stay away from Toby." Aria said crossing her arms, more than ready for this standoff.

"Toby hasn't done anything. Jason may have killed Ali." Spencer said with her back straight, poised for the argument.

"We don't know anything about what happened the night was Ali was killed. And if you won't stay away from Toby then I'm not staying away from Jason." Aria said heading towards her Mom's classroom, "Plus Spencer telling me to stay away from him makes you a hypocrite." She said turning and heading in signaling the end of the discussion.

Aria was sitting her second hour replaying her conversation with Jason over and over in her head when she caught a glimpse of honey blonde hair outside the window. Looking up she met Jason's gaze and gave him a smile and a small wave. After watching him get into his Volvo she started to doodle on her notebook the same thing she had when was 13 and crushing hard, _Mrs. Aria DiLaurentis, I love Jason DiLaurentis_.


End file.
